From Roll20 Wiki

Absolutely brand new to Tabletop RPGs? Seen some Twitch streams of people playing D&D and want to join in on the fun? This video series will walk you through everything you need to know to hit the road running and join(or create) your very first RPG experience.

Contents

What Is A Tabletop RPG?

RPG stands for Role Playing Game. You’ve probably encountered this game genre before in the computer and video game market. That being said, a Tabletop RPG allows a gaming group much more creative freedom in where they go, who they meet and what they want to do. The barebones essence of a Tabletop RPG is collaborative storytelling. It’s a story co-authored by everyone sitting at the table while playing the game. You and your friends fit themselves into the shoes of a character in the story. The decisions made and the plot twists that occur reflect the characters everyone is pretending to be.There’s no invisible walls to block exploration, no limits to what your character looks like and there’s no programmed restrictions on your character's behavior.

The setting of the game can be familiar, like a favorite TV show, or something entirely alien and new. The only limitations are the rules of the game and the collective creativity of the people playing it.

How Do You Play A Tabletop RPG?

How to play an RPG: Animatic, Music: "Perspectives" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)